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“Are you seriously talking to a dog and nodding when it barks?” Rasmus asked, staring at Conn.

Conn growled at him again.

I smirked a little as I explained. “We’re heading in to confront the demons. If ya want to stay in the car, Conn and I won’t mind. Going in could be dangerous for ya. There’s always a fight before they settle down enough to listen and talk.”

“Are you going in there?” he asked.

“That’s what I came to do,” I told him.

“Then I’m going in as well.”

I didn’t know what sense that made, but it was brave of him, so I tried not let him catch me rolling my eyes.

ChapterFifteen

The door to the church wasn’t locked. The inside of it was lit with candles. Floorboards creaked, no doubt announcing us. It was like walking into the scene of a creepy horror movie. Most sacred places felt serene. This one did not. If I hadn’t trusted that Conn was right, the hair rising on my body would have been a dead giveaway.

Mantle, Conn sent, visualizing it in his mind.

I stopped Rasmus from going forward. “I need to do something first. Ya might want to give me some room.”

He blinked as he stared down at me. It was always about size with men. I guess Rasmus never watched Jackie Chan jump up and kick someone eight-feet-tall on the head. No, I didn’t have Jackie’s martial arts moves, but I had my own talents.

I spoke the agreement in the original language of the gods. Energy instantly gathered on me. It swirled around my body forming a light-silver armor that glowed like moonlight. Wearing the mantle was heavenly while it lasted, and hell when I took it off. I hoped to make this quick and not have to spend all my willpower later to give it up.

We didn’t know where the mysterious Lilith was hiding. She could be here. Given their former relationship, I felt like Conn would sense her if she was near, but demons could be sneaky. Alarms went on inside me whenever Jack was nearby.

I stretched my arms and looked at them. The armor never manifested in the same design twice, but today’s version was buzzing all over.

“Diadem,” I called out. Something that looked like a metal headband appeared in my hand. I fit it to my forehead and looked at Rasmus who was staring open-mouthed at me.

“I’m very medieval looking, right? The Dagda said this outfit was a symbol of sovereignty but he didn’t tell me of whom. He said I’d discover the answer for myself. He also said only a natural witch could manifest it.”

When Rasmus didn’t respond to anything I said, I gave up talking to him and walked down the aisle until I stood before the raised pulpit and altar. I stared for a long time, but no one showed up to greet or threaten me.

Did they think I would give up and go away? I was far more persistent than that.

Behind me, Conn barked several times.

“Yes. Don’t nag me. I’m getting to it.”

Sighing, I moved one hand over the other as I built a ball of energy between my palms.

I pitched my voice as loud as it would go. “Someone better come talk to me before I destroy this place. If yer portal’s here, it will pull all of ya back into the Underdark. Is that what ya want?”

I bounced the energy ball from hand-to-hand until my patience ran out. I drew back to let it fly at the wooden pulpit but halted when a line of nine gray and brown demons appeared. They were no taller than me and their horns were short and red instead of black. They had branded the area above their left breast with their caste.

They morphed into nine handsome men as I watched, and one stepped away from the others to walk closer to me. He was a lot taller and standing on the platform six inches above me. I’d never seen this demon caste before and I imagined I looked like a child playing dress up to them.

“Why has a child of The Dagda invaded us? Put your mongrel and human outside so we can talk properly.”

I clapped my hands and popped the energy ball like a balloon. The explosion rocked the church walls and all the windows. I chuckled when all the demons raised an arm to shield their faces.

“A demoness from this caste put a compulsion on my human friend. I want it removed and I want to know why she did it.”

“It’s half-dissipated. The signature is gone. You destroyed your proof.”

“We saw her signature before it went away. Which is where the lot of ya will be going if ya don’t bring her here to answer my questions. The humans say there are a lot of killings going on. But we know better than that, don’t we? Ya wouldn’t be standing here so calmly if it were true.”